This 1862 dated Springfield is both in very good condition and bears a “Z” stamping on the underside of the stock just forward of the triggerguard tang that is now recognized as the final inspection stamp of a Confederate ordnance inspector in the Confederate Cleaning and Recovery (“C&R”) service reissuing arms that had been, “captured and collected.” The particular inspector has not been identified, but Steven Knott, who first identified and cataloged these markings in his 2019 “’Captured and Collected’ Confederate Reissued Firearms,” associates the mark with the Richmond Arsenal/ Artillery Workshop based on the proportion of these stamps to others and the number of guns passing through that facility. He estimated totals passing through the system as whole at perhaps 200,000 from battlefields, mostly in the eastern theatre, where Lee’s victories left Confederates in possession of the field, and another 50,000 or so turned in by CS units. These went largely to CS facilities at Danville, Staunton, Lynchburg, and Richmond. Knott’s initial catalog of markings included the letters A, F, Q, T, and Z. This has been expanded slightly and includes an ampersand (&) stamp indicating the letters need not correspond to an inspector’s initials.

This rifle musket remains in very good condition and evidently saw little hard use before falling into Confederate hands, even though an early production. With production starting at Springfield in July 1861, the Model 1861 streamlined the .58 caliber muzzle-loading Model 1855 rifle musket, eliminating the Maynard tape priming system, and the buttstock patch box (or “catch box.”) With the pressing need for arms, Springfield increased its work force, machinery, and started night shifts, managing to turn out some 33,000 of these new rifle-muskets by the end of 1861 and more than 173,000 in 1862.

This example has an 1862 lock plate date, and has no barrel date but retains Springfield’s V/P and eagle cartouche. The lock plate markings are sharp: 1862 in a horizontal line to the rear of the hammer and the Springfield American eagle forward of the hammer, with U.S. / SPRINGFIELD in two horizontal lines below the bolster. The V/P/[eaglehead] barrel proofs are visible and legible. The U.S. stamp on the buttplate tang is strong.

The wood has good color and surface. All the metal and wood fits tightly. Bands, springs, swivels, rod and sights are in place. The rear sight has both its leaves. The bands show typical US directional “U” stamps. The bore is bright, with good rifling and the mechanism is crisp and strong, offset from the springs. All three barrel bands are from a contract rifle-musket and bear small sub-inspector’s initials. This is as expected on C&R weapons as the Confederate reconditioning process often called for parts to be replaced. The absence of any Federal inspector’s cartouches on the walnut stock leads us to assume that the stock is probably a CS manufactured replacement – and a good one as all metal parts are precisely fitted. All metal has a wonderful chocolate brown patina with very light scattered pitting. Mechanically perfect. The bore is VF with deep rifling and in need of a slight cleaning to be nearly mint. A nice as found attic condition example.

Confederate-used arms of any sort are tough to come by. Previously unrecognized, arms that went through the C&R process are now taking their proper places in Civil War and Confederate collections and are good examples of how the Confederacy geared up to compensate for its lack of arms and manufacturing capacity in very systematic and thought-out ways. This would make a nice addition to a Confederate infantry display and is also a good example of an 1862 Springfield on its own.  [ss] [ph:L]

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